


One More Drama

by afteriwake



Series: A Thousand Suns [13]
Category: Bleach
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-16
Updated: 2012-10-16
Packaged: 2017-11-16 10:47:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,568
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/538625
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afteriwake/pseuds/afteriwake
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The burdens they bear need to be shared, not borne alone.</p>
            </blockquote>





	One More Drama

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to do something that addressed Hisagi and his newfound leadership role, and the unresolved relationship issues between him and Matsumoto, but it kind of became Matsumoto-centric and involved just about everyone else. But either way, I’m still happy with it. This is set approximately two months after the shinigami get there.

“Captain!” Matsumoto called after her captain, but he continued to walk away. She sighed after a moment’s hesitation and headed back towards the others. She knew where he was going. He was going off to spend time with Karin Kurosaki again. In one respect that was a good thing; once they had gotten past whatever their problems were she became a good influence on him. She tempered down the death seeking tendency he had developed in Soul Society over the last two years. At least now when he engaged Hollows it was usually one at a time, and he wasn’t alone.

But he was still ignoring his duties as a Captain of the shinigami, and his…well, there was no better word than infatuation, so she’d use that. His infatuation with Karin was becoming more apparent, at least to her. It was not a good idea, it wasn’t healthy, and he was just going to end up having his heart broken if it continued. She had to stop it from going any further, but she had to be very careful. She didn’t want to hurt either of them. She loved them both like they were her little brother and sister. But it had to stop.

“You seem depressed.”

Matsumoto turned to the voice at her left, and saw Hisagi leaning against the side of the building. Even in his gigai he preferred no sleeves to sleeves, and apparently this continued in cold weather as well. It made him stand out among them, and she sometimes wondered if his individuality was going to get them in trouble. She pulled her jacket tighter around her. “I have a lot on my mind.”

“I do too. The longer we’re here, the more bad news we get from Hueco Mundo.”

She nodded. She’d noticed it, how the Hollows were attacking in groups more, about how the lesser powered Arrancar were slowly becoming more powerful, more plentiful. And they were losing forces; Unohana had finally had her daughter so for now Isane had to return to Soul Society, and Ichigo’s human friends were beginning to talk about leaving Karakura Town after graduation, though Sado-san and Dokugamine-san, both of whom had powers that were useful for the cause, were considering leaving earlier than that. It loomed large in everyone’s minds.

Of course, all of this rested on Hisagi’s shoulders. He was in charge this time, not her captain. He was doing a good job, but at the same time it was wearing on him. Before he had been quick to smile and was looking at the bright side of things; now he was just as serious and grumpy as her captain. Perhaps that’s what authority did to a person. Of course, since learning the truth about Gin and essentially becoming the acting captain of her division, she hadn’t been the smiling bubbly party girl she used to be, either.

“I want to talk to you about your captain,” he said, pushing away from the wall. He nodded behind him slightly to the café they had been standing in front of. “Let’s get a coffee and walk.”

“All right,” she said, resigned. She followed him into the shop and placed her order. He paid for both of their drinks and they walked out and towards the nearest park before she spoke. “He’s better,” she said.

“I know. I can see that,” he said. “Being here has helped him. Being away from looking at her every day…it’s helped. You were right in recommending that you both come here.”

“I sense a ‘but’ coming up,” she said sourly.

“No buts.” She looked at him, confused. “I can’t do this alone. My experience in the Winter War was limited to trying to keep the pillars up, and I didn’t even do a good job of it. The only reason I’m captain is no one else would do it and I’d managed to learn bankai relatively easily. Captain Hitsugaya…he has experience. I want you to talk to him about being more involved in making the decisions.”

“I’m not the one who should talk to him,” she said quietly. “He doesn’t listen to me much anymore.”

“I’ve noticed that. But the younger Kurosaki doesn’t know enough about what’s going on to convince him. She’s kept out of the strategy meetings, which I’m starting to believe is a mistake. If she’s willing to protect this city with her life she should know everything that’s going on.” She looked at him and he chuckled slightly. “I know he’s got a crush on her. When you are attracted to a woman who’s completely oblivious to it, you recognize it in other men in the same situation.”

“I was never oblivious,” she said quietly, looking at him, and when he stopped she did too. “I just never felt that way about you. My heart has always belonged to someone else.”

“Ichimaru,” he said quietly, and she nodded. “And now, after all these years?”

“I think it will always belong to him,” she said with a sad smile. “I have small hope that since he died here his spirit will come back here, and I’ll be here and recognize it, but it’s still a hope that burns in my heart.”

“I see,” he said.

She laughed slightly, and reached over and patted his cheek. “Cheer up. I have it on good authority that there is someone who would absolutely love some attention from you.”

“We’re supposed to be talking about your Captain.”

“Yes, we are, but you brought up being oblivious to someone’s feelings, and I have to tell you that you’re on the flip side of that equation at this very moment.”

“It’s not Kotetsu, is it?” he asked, raising an eyebrow. “Because I’m fairly sure she’s not interested in men.”

She laughed, peal after peal of laughter spilling from her as she doubled over. “You are the blindest man I know when it comes to women, Hisagi-san,” she said when she was done. “No, it’s not Kotetsu-san, and yes, she does like men, just not any that you know. No, I’m talking about Ise-san. Her captain’s marriage to Captain Unohana broke her heart, and you were there to pick up the pieces as her friend. But she desires to be more than your friend, if you catch my drift.”

“ _Nanao_? Really?”

“How can you be on a first name basis with her and not know this?” she asked, shaking her head. “Yes, her. I’ve been talking to her for months now. She didn’t just volunteer to come here because it would get her away from her Captain and his wife, she came here because it would give her time alone with _you_ , but you spend so much time with the business here that you’ve ignored her completely, except as a subordinate. She’s very close to going back to Soul Society when Kotetsu-san comes back next month with Kira, so there will still be a decent force here.”

“I didn’t know this,” he said quietly.

“And yet you were astute enough to recognize that my Captain has a crush on a human,” she said wryly.

“He’s not the only one,” he said. “But Lieutenant Abarai knows not to make things too serious with Arisawa-san.”

“If it ever gets that far,” Matsumoto said. “According to Inoue-kun she just thinks he’s a good friend, nothing more.”

“I’m hoping if your captain starts being more involved in the decision making process he’ll spend less time with her. I like him, and I like her. I don’t want this to blow up in either of their faces.”

“I feel the same,” she said. She nodded to the path ahead of them and they began walking again. “Perhaps I can talk to her. Not to tell her that his attention has veered in that direction, but to encourage her to attend the strategy meetings and bring him with her, and to try and get her more involved. If we can convince her to get him involved, we can use his feelings for her to our advantage.”

“That sounds like a good plan.” And then he sighed. “Is it always this hard, manipulating people to do what’s in the best interest for all?”

“Yes. And while it’s harder to be the manipulator than the manipulated, it’s still hard to know you’re being used.” She put a hand on his shoulder. “But you’re a Captain for more than just the reasons you think you are. It will get easier. I’ll help.”

“I like this new you more than the old one. I wish you’d been like this when I was infatuated with you. More…mature. Hardworking. Confident.”

She laughed, and it came out a little on the harsh side. “It came at a price no one should have to pay. But…while there’s no hope for me, there is hope for you. And maybe, if we’re lucky, we can get everything to work out for the best for all of us.” She smiled slightly. “Now. Are you going to ask Ise-san out or not?”

“I will. Tonight. Would she enjoy coffee?”

She smiled. “Yes, I think she would.”

“Then I’ll ask her to go get some coffee with me.”

“And while you have fun on a date, I’ll start working on talking to Kurosaki-kun about my captain.”

“Thank you.”

“No problem. After all, what are friends and comrades for?”


End file.
